NOTES:

Night 1 Itinerary

KOSI FOREST LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal

Kosi Forest Lodge is situated in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve which is part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, proclaimed a Unesco World Heritage Site. This 20-bed wilderness lodge offers the unique opportunity of exploring a pristine wetland environment by vehicle, guided canoes and boats.

Kosi Forest Lodge guests are accommodated in thatched forest rooms, on raised wooden decks, hidden in the sand forest. The unique open-air, reed enclosed bathrooms with the bath and shower sunk into white forest sand, has been noted by many guests as one of the highlights of their stay. Each room has an indoor shower as well to cater for the less adventurous. All beds have mosquito nets.

On arrival you will be shown to your forest room and given time to unpack and relax before embarking on your first activity. You will return to the lodge and freshen up before coming through to the dining deck to enjoy dinner.

Night's 2 & 3 Itinerary

KOSI FOREST LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal

The dawn chorus of hundreds of birds who live in the sand forest will awaken you. You will join the Kosi team at the lodge for a hearty breakfast, before leaving on your activity.

The highlight for many at Kosi Forest Lodge is the canoe trip on the Kosi Lakes. The best time for this activity is in the early morning and lasts for approximately 2 hours. Guides escort you by canoe along the Sihadla channel where the bird life is very rewarding and the scenery peaceful and breathtaking.

You will return for a delicious lunch and a siesta before embarking on your afternoon activity.

In the afternoon you can enjoy a walk through magnificent raffia palms, the tallest in the world! Home to the palm-nut vulture and Pel’s fishing owl, the area can be explored by birders at their leisure.

When you return from your afternoon activity you will have time to freshen up before coming through to enjoy a delicious meal on either the main deck or in the boma.

The pathways and dining decks are lit by lanterns that create a romantic atmosphere, allowing you to relax and soak up the sounds of nature.

The Kosi Lake system is a series of interconnected lakes which stretch over some 18km. The best way to see the system is by boat. The full day excursion leaves shortly after breakfast and travels through the lake system and estuarine waterways. The guides stop along the way and explain the traditional fishing traps and the traditions of the Tsonga community who live in balance with the lake system.

A picnic lunch is served on the banks of the scenic lakeside. After your meal you will continue on to Bhanga Nek beach where you can enjoy one last swim before heading back to the lodge.

Night 4 Itinerary

THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal

After your breakfast and morning activity you will check out of Kosi Forest Lodge and return to the pickup point at Manguzi. You will continue south to the Coastal Forest Reserve and continue along the sand road to the Coastal Cashew Factory where you will be met by a Thonga Beach Lodge representative and transferred to the lodge. The total transfer time from lodge to lodge is approximately 2 hours.

On arrival you will be welcomed with a refreshing drink and given a brief orientation of the lodge before being shown to your room and given time to unpack and relax before coming through for some lunch. After enjoying one of the many activities hosted at Thonga you will have time to freshen up before settling down for a delicious meal under the stars.

Nights 5 & 6 Itinerary

THONGA BEACH LODGE
iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal

Thonga Beach Lodge is set on the secluded Mabibi Bay, in the heart of the iSimangaliso (formerly Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park, an internationally recognized World Heritage Site.

With direct access onto the pristine shores of the Maputaland coast, this lodge is the ideal place to discover one of the last unspoilt and undeveloped wilderness beaches left on the African continent.

The 12 en-suite eco-sensitive rooms have been carefully constructed in the coastal dune forest to ensure minimum impact on the environment and maximum guest privacy. Each room has a double vanity, stone bath, indoor shower, mini bar, air conditioning, ceiling fan and mosquito net. Deluxe rooms have private plunge pools.

Activities at Thonga Beach Lodge include SCUBA diving, open ocean experiences, kayaking and sundowners at Lake Sibaya, guided snorkeling, seasonal turtle drives/walks, Tsonga cultural tours and forest walks. Whether you are a walker or a diver, take advantage of the wealth of activities that await you in this beautiful hideaway, or simply relax with a spa treatment on the beach deck.

SCUBA diving at Mabibi is phenomenal. Our professional lodge diving team can accommodate enthusiasts, from the beginner to the veteran.

For those who don’t dive, we have an open ocean experience. An exciting launch through the surf in front of the lodge takes you beyond the breakers to a world of dolphins, whales and other creatures. The warm Indian Ocean supports a myriad of fish and marine life. Guests can sometimes swim with dolphins or whale sharks, or snorkel with manta rays and giant turtles.

In summer there are nocturnal walks and drives along the beach in search of pre-historic turtles laying their eggs. Witness the culmination of an incredible journey as giant leatherback and loggerhead turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in carefully prepared nests. Turtle tracking is offered in the evening from November to end of February. The turtles lay their eggs from November to February and hatchlings arrive from end of December to the end of February. Every precaution is taken to ensure these magnificent creatures are not disturbed during the laying process and data collected from the turtle drives is submitted to the Ezemvelo Turtle Monitoring Programme.

END OF ARRANGEMENTS

After a hearty breakfast you will check out of Thonga Beach Lodge and be returned to Coastal Cashews where you will continue with your itinerary.

ABOUT THE LODGES

Kosi Forest Lodge

Kosi Forest Lodge is a haven of crisp, cool comfort in the sand forests and you will find that treading gently is a natural way of life in this soft sand forest. Glamping at its best, here you live amongst the trees, surrounded by birdsong. The perfect combination of thatch, canvas and wood, what sets these forest rooms apart is their unique bathrooms with an outdoor shower and deep, wide bath under a leafy canopy. Oil lamps are lit along the forest paths and in your outdoor bathroom, creating a warm glow and connection with the ancient past of this unspoilt land.

The gentle local staff are anxious to please and love to show off the beauty of this pristine part of the earth, be it gliding through a still river in a canoe, birdwatching, or taking you snorkeling at the Kosi Bay river mouth. They are only too delighted to pack you a generous picnic lunch or organise a private, candle-lit dinner under the stars at the open firepit. Enjoy your favourite sundowner drink at the pool which overlooks Lake Shengeza, where hippos grunt and fish eagles call.

The lodge is situated in a protected part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, famed for its diverse birdlife which includes forest, grassland and coastal birds. Palm-nut vulture and Pel’s fishing owl are local delights. As you walk lightly on this beautiful part of our earth, you too will become the gentlest version of yourself. Please visit the website for more information: www.kosiforestlodge.co.za

Thonga Beach Lodge

Every now and again something special comes along… like Thonga Beach Lodge, the unspoilt gem of KwaZulu-Natal’s Maputaland coast. Situated in South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Thonga Beach Lodge is mere metres away from the sparkling Indian Ocean. Beneath the breakers lies a treasure trove of marine life, from vivid reef fish to schools of dolphins, and even turtles returning to the beach to lay their eggs. Thonga’s 12 thatched eco-sensitive rooms are positioned for maximum privacy and minimal environmental impact. The rooms are built on raised platforms among the indigenous forest and undulating dunes with expansive glass windows and doors to let in the ocean breeze and sounds.

Make your journey all the more memorable when you enjoy close encounters with nature. Indulge in a spa treatment; track mother turtles laying their eggs; explore the reefs beneath with a snorkel or SCUBA dive; or go on a guided forest walk. Feel assured that you’re travelling with purpose, discovering and helping to preserve one of the last undeveloped wilderness beaches left on the African continent. Please visit the website for more information: www.thongabeachlodge.co.za.